Blame it on the rain
by Ivy Kendall
Summary: Submission for Fic Challenge "Weather the Storm", from the Major Crime LJ.
1. Chapter 1

"Rain, rain, go away, come again another day..."

"Are you serious?"

"Why not? We're stuck in traffic going nowhere fast, the only thing on the radio is news about the approaching storm, and my usually prepared Captain forgot to get a weather report before we headed to the East Coast. What else am I supposed to do?"

"It's the East Coast in October. Weather is in the South in the Fall, and the North in the Winter, Midwest in the Summer, and never in our area of the country. How was I supposed to know I should listen for a report? The flight left LA without a problem, didn't it? Surely they would have know."

"Fine... but I still think you should have been better prepared."

"Me? And what about you, Detective? I thought your job was to investigate. Didn't it cross your mind to check to see what kind of situation we were getting ourselves in to?"

"Situation? We were only going to a conference, which, may I remind you, was last minute because you ignored your email. Getting everyone to pull straws to see who the victims - rather 'attenders' - would be, was not exactly a show of good management."

"Tell me smart guy, who in our team would really want to be at this conference anyway? Besides, I didn't give myself an easy out on this one."

"Well, you have a point there."

"Exactly. So here we sit."

"Yeah, here we sit."

"How much further to the turn off, anyway?"

"You want to drive now?"

"Are you always this testy?"

"I used to be worse."

"Oh joy. I bet that was fun."

"You always this sarcastic?"

"Sorry. I'm letting my frustration get the better of me. I should know better."

"You know, once upon a time I didn't think anything could flap you."

"Humph, you'd be surprised."

"I am. Pleasantly, mind you."

"Pleasantly surprised that I'm letting a small car in a downpour bring out my nasty side?"

"Lady, if this is your nasty, you're all right."

"Lady?"

"Okay, what do you want me to call you? I can't keep calling you Captain. Besides, we're going to be in here for a while, I think, so we might as well get past the titles. Before this is over I have the feeling we are going to know a lot more about each other than we ever thought we would."

"Why does that sounds so ominous?"

"What? You think you can keep up the pretense of professionalism in an Audi going 0.5 miles an hour in the middle of a rainstorm?"

"Point taken."

"So what do you want to know?"

"You're offering?"

"You going to start making conversation or just spend the time reacting to me?"

"You have no idea..."

"No idea what?"

"No idea how much time I spend reacting to you... Andy."

"Really? I'm liking the sound of that."

"Don't get cocky."

"But 'cocky' is my charming side."

"No ego there."

"Don't change the subject, how are you always reacting to me."

"We really shouldn't be having this conversation."

"Come on, don't quit on my now."

"Don't you have something better to do than goad me?"

"Nope. Nothing better that I can think of."

"You will be the death of me yet."

"We do murder for a living, let's keep that metaphor out of casual conversation."

"This isn't casual."

"Well it could be, if you'd just tell me why you keep reacting to me."

"We work well together, that's all. I feel sometimes you finish my thoughts."

"Tell me what I'm thinking now."

"That's not funny."

"Hey! You got that one."

"Detective!"

"You can try to laugh your way out of this, but you know what I'm thinking."

"I'm thinking you are overtired and perhaps I should be driving."

"You're always in the driver's seat. Time for you to be a passenger for a change."

"I'll ignore the innuendo in that one."

"Your loss."

"Clearly."

"For the record, I react to you too, Sharon."

"What?"

"I said..."

"I heard what you said. What did you mean by it?"

"Oh, now look who's getting interested in this conversation."

"Well when you start something, I like to finish it."

"Now that the shoe is on the other foot, you mean."

"You really enjoy being difficult, don't you, Lieutenant."

"Oh, so now it's 'Lieutenant'. That's convenient."

"And what does that mean?"

"It just means the Captain likes things her way, but she's not prepared for the gander to be on equal footing."

"Seriously? How old are you?"

"Old enough to know when a beautiful woman is trying to avoid a direct question."

"Now flattery?"

"It was a risk. It was either you'd be flattered or I'd be facing harassment charges."

"You really like to toy with fire, don't you."

"What can you do to me from here?"

"I could report you once we get back to the office."

"It would be he-said-she-said."

"You'd really go there?"

"Would you?"

"Honestly?"

"Yeah, honestly."

"No, I wouldn't go there. You like to push my buttons, but I know who you are."

"You do, do you?"

"Yes... Andy. I know who you are, and I know why we finish each other's thoughts."

"You think so? Tell me."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. This Audi still isn't going anywhere, we're alone, and unless you've turned on your phone to record this conversation, no one but us will ever know what we say in the privacy of this storm."

"I don't know."

"You do know, you just won't say it out loud."

"If I say it out loud, I can't take it back and it could jeopardize our working relationship. I don't want to risk that."

"So our work is more important to you than acknowledging out loud the reason we are on the same wavelength?"

"Don't twist my words."

"Fine. Then I'll say it. We're good together, really good. More than boss-employee good."

"Yeah."

"You don't have to sound so wistful."

"It's one of those things were I want it all, you know what I'm saying? Can we have it all?"

"I don't know. But we can't have it all if we don't try to have it all."

"How long to our next exit?"

"You trying to change the subject again?"

"No, I'm just wondering how long to the next exit? How long until we can head towards our hotel."

"Oh."

"Yes, 'oh'. If it doesn't work, we can always blame it on the rain."


	2. Chapter 2

"Will this rain ever end?"

"Now, now... where is the patient Captain I know so well?"

"Please..."

"Look, you said yourself this isn't the way we were expecting things to go, so just chill"

"Chill? What are you, seventeen?"

"You seem to have a huge problem with my age."

"I wouldn't have a problem if you would pick one and stick to it."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Never mind."

"Here we go again with you staring something and never finishing it. Does your double standard every get tired?"

"Double standard? That's rich."

"You do have a double standard, you know."

"Yeah, I hold myself to standards higher than everyone else, that's about as 'double' as it gets."

"Are we starting a pattern here?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm saying every time we get into a small space and it's raining, we seem to squabble."

"You started it."

"Oh, now who's the mature one?"

"You really enjoy driving me crazy, don't you."

"You make it easy."

"Oh, thank you sooooo much."

"Listen Lady, I'm just calling it as I see it."

"So it's 'Lady' again, is it?"

"You got a better term for your aloofness just when things get interested."

"That's not fair. I have to be in charge. It's not a personal choice, it's my job."

"Can you be 'off the clock' for even a little while?"

"You know I can. Maybe you're right, small spaces drive me crazy."

"They don't have to, you know. You can relax a bit. We aren't going anywhere."

"I know."

"And no one is coming to our rescue, if that's what you're thinking."

"We need to be rescued?"

"Well, maybe not you so much..."

"Andy, that is NOT funny."

"Really, I thought I was hilarious."

"You know, just because I'm good at being in control, doesn't mean I always want to be."

"Sharon, no one said you had to be all the time."

"I'm not all the time, just when I'm around you people."

"Oh, so now I'm 'you people'?"

"You know what I mean."

"No, I don't. I think you have to explain that one to me."

"It's just... all of you are so tight at work. You've been together for years, and I had a very defined position as an outsider. Now I'm asked to be a different kind of outsider."

"You're still part of the team."

"Yes and no. And that's the way it is supposed to be. I can't administrate the unit and be buddies with everyone."

"Are we that much work?"

"Do you really want an answer to that?"

"Hrumph, I guess I got one regardless."

"It's different, I will say that."

"What? Than being FID?"

"No, I mean how old everyone is."

"Ah yes, the ancient unit. Wheelchairs are expected next week."

"No, I didn't mean that. FID had a lot of young officers who were still figuring out the game. Major Crimes has officers who know the game and don't give a damn."

"We get the job done."

"Yes, you do. And it's my job to see that it's done without risking litigation in the future."

"Are we that bad?"

"Honestly, no. But it's like Sword of Democles. If it happens on my watch, it's even more hideous because I used to be the one patching the holes."

"It's not all on you, you know. You can share it with the rest of us."

"Thanks for the offer, but no, I really can't."

"Why not?"

"As I mentioned, none of you give a damn."

"What? About solving the murders?"

"Oh no... solving murders is exactly what you do. It's the aftermath that none of you seem concerned with."

"You're going to have to give us time, Sharon. It used to be good enough just to do our thing. Now we have to put it in a nice box, wrap it in a bow, put it under the tree and hope the receiver opens it. It's a lot more work."

"True, but once it's done, it's filed and only reviewed for historical purposes. I like finishing it fully, and not having to keep massive files open for years."

"There's that need to be in control and finish things that other people start."

"What can I say, I'm a creature of habit."

"And you're still avoiding the subject."

"What subject is that?"

"That you do have a double standard."

"Andy..."

"You do."

"Fine, I'll admit it. Does that make you happy?"

"That's not what I was going for. Maybe we should change the subject."

"Maybe we should. When will this rain end?"

"Oh, that's classic."

"What do you mean."

"I mean, when the topic gets too hot, let's discuss the weather."

"Well, it was the weather that got us into this situation."

"No, it was having to attend this conference that got us into this situation."

"Fine. You did check all the windows for leaks, didn't you?"

"Yes Ma'am."

"Oh, everything I say seems to come out the wrong way."

"Sorry Sharon, I'm just messing with you. I know this whole deal is stressing you out."

"It shouldn't."

"Who care if it should or shouldn't, it is. What you 'should' do is try to get comfortable and relax."

"How can I?"

"Just lean back, close your eyes, and enjoy the sound of the rain."

"That simple?"

"It can be. Just let me help you."

"Okay, I'm trusting you.

"You won't regret it. This is the best way to relax that I know."

"Mmmm, I should really lean on you like this more often."

"Works for me. We can just soak here and listen to the rain."


End file.
